As we take a look at the Los Angeles Kings Summer Playbook it appears GM Dean Lombardi is already a few pages deep. A surprising flurry of activity cropped up several days before the draft that already drastically altered the makeup of the Kings. First, Ryan Smyth unexpectedly requested a trade back to Edmonton. While that was going on, Lombardi made a monster swap with Philadelphia, trad...

The Kings passed their first test without Kopi at the helm, beating the Oilers 2-0 on Tuesday night. Granted, the Oilers aren't the toughest test for the Kings, but it was a solid win and something to build off of as they push for the end of the regular season. (more…)

The Kings escaped using the shootout parachute device on Saturday night against the Boston Bruins. After taking a 3 goal lead, the Kings relaxed and let the Bruins cruise back into the game. After managing to survive regulation and overtime, Michal Handzus finished a nail-biter of a shootout off with a goal for the win. (more…)

Stupid gimmick shootouts. This would have been one of those nights where a tie would have felt like a win.
For the most part, the Bruins played a strong game tonight. A couple of bad breaks in the first period led to an early deficit that the Bruins couldn't completely climb out of. The Bruins came out flying in the first period but it was the Kings that would score on two of their first four s...

Although a team must perform as a whole, I'd like to break down expectations for each player this coming season. These are what I feel will be unspoken benchmarks the organization will expect each player to reach over a full season of play. To be completely clear, these are not predictions. Of course, injuries, suspensions, line-juggling, and all sorts of things happen that affect a players...

After years of patient rebuilding the Kings posted a successful regular season and a return to the playoffs. Although their post-season run ended short, the Kings have a lot to be optimistic about heading into the summer. (more…)

The Kings went into the Olympic break on a high note, shutting out key Western Conference opponent Colorado at home. Jack Johnson had a dominant performance despite having travelled to Vancouver for the opening ceremonies, then back to LA for the tilt against the Avs.
Johnson had 2 assists and was a plus-2 on the night. He wasn't the only King with a strong performance as Rich Clune, p...

The Kings certainly didn't make their franchise record 9th win in a row easy on themselves. They spotted the desperate Red Wings 3 goals in the first period. However, “coming from behind to win” is just one of the many feathers these new Kings have in their hat.
The first period was sloppy, especially for the Kings who yielded 3 goals. Detroit had all of the fire in the fir...